Enterprise's Daughter
by Luvthewind
Summary: Sometimes it takes a ship to raise a child and a child to heal old wounds. Then there are some things that can't be fixed but Jim has never believed in no win scenarios.
1. Elia

**Chapter 1**

**Elia**

"You're not allowed in there!" A young girl skidded through the dirt and around a corner. Her driftwood brown hair bounced in its messy bun as little frizzy wisps escaped her head band as she slid behind a crate. Pale sea foam green eyes followed the Starfleet security guards as they ran past. "She went this way!"

The girl slipped out into the open and stealthily made her way towards one of the transport ships. She looked over her shoulder for signs of her pursuers and slipped on board. She went directly to the cargo hold and sat in one of the chairs that were successfully hidden by luggage and supplies. She looked around frantically and pulled her knees to her chest in a comforting gesture as more shouts came from beyond the shuttle's hull. She rubbed her dull eyes, careful of the bruise blossoming on her cheek and up into the hair above her ear.

The voices of people boarding the ship came through the door causing a shiver to run down her spine every time their laughter echoed from the front of the shuttle. When the voices calmed down to a gentle hum overthrown by the whirring of engines, the shuttle took off with practiced ease. The girl stood up slowly as small gasps of surprise and awe came from the passenger area. She stood on tip toe to see out the window and watched the small ship head towards the Starfleet Flagship the _USS Enterprise.

* * *

_

"All systems are registering green, Keptin," Pavel Chekov ran a last minute check.

"Coordinates are laid in," Sulu Hikaru tapped the last numbers into the machine.

"All decks reporting ready, Captain," Spock said coolly from his station.

"Alright," James T. Kirk smiled from his chair. "War-"

"Captain," Nyota Uhura cut him off with a bemused look on her face. "Starfleet security is haling us, sir."

"On screen," Jim raised an eyebrow at Spock as they turned their chairs to the screen. "Kirk here."

"_Captain Kirk, there was reports of an intruder at the shipyard where you received your supplies," _The aging man had his face half buried behind a report which he snapped shut to glare imploringly at the crew. _"She may have snuck on board one of your transport ships."_

"She?" Kirk raised an eyebrow, an almost lecherous glint in his eye.

"_A young girl with long brown hair, green eyes. She was very good at evading the security guards and very familiar with our protocols and regulations. She stole a phaser so she is considered armed," _The man began to rummage through his papers and held up a PADD baring a picture.

It was of a heart shape faced girl with her hair in a messy bun. Her green eyes were dull against her tanned skin and looking over her shoulder. Jim shrunk in his chair and massaged his temple.

"She's a child," Uhura gasped.

"_She's able to evade trained Starfleet officers. I do not think she is here for sightseeing,"_ The man glared at them. Heads of docking and Star Fleet bases were always walking on water at the importance of their jobs. _"We're still trying to attain her identity. When we have more we'll let you know. Headquarters out."_

"Captain… do you know the girl?" Spock asked. Jim glanced at him gauging the raised eyebrow Spock was sending him.

"Observant goblin," Jim sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Chekov, inform all decks of the stowaway as well as a picture of her. Sulu, warp 1."

"Warp 1, sir," The stars blurred past the main screen as Chekov's Russian accent filled the entire ship.

Spock appeared at Jim's side. "Captain. It is illogical to leave Earth's orbit when we may have a potentially dangerous stowaway."

"She shouldn't be too dangerous, Spock," Jim replied, attempting at disinterest. "She is just a child."

Spock raised an eyebrow. "It is logical based on your reaction to the picture that you are acquainted with this girl in some way. May I acquire as to how you know her?"

"It's probably just someone who looks like her," Jim muttered, watching the stars whiz by with a new found interest. "Don't worry about it."

* * *

How Lieutenant Commander Montgomery Scott came to be in this situation, like all situations involving a phaser pointed shakily at his chest, was going to be blamed on the words he spoken about the ship after he'd first stepped foot on her. This ship was certainly exciting. Scotty looked at the phaser tiredly then at the assailant threatening him with it. "Don't shoot me, girlie. I'm unarmed."

The arm not holding the gun was wrapped tightly around her knees. "Si-sit down."

"Alright," He watched her closely as he slid down the wall. They sat in awkward silence as Scotty twiddled his thumbs. He gave her a beaming smile. "I'm Montgomery Scott. Friends call me Scotty. Was yer name?"

"I need… I need to see him," Scotty looked at her confused.

"Him who?"

"My brother," The girl answered. Her eyes looked to the door where several engineering staff were looking in having been ushered out by their commanding officer. He sent them a shrug and dismissing hand wave.

"Brother?" Scotty's eyebrows rose. "Well, girlie… You're brother must be important ta you. I'm amazed you were able ta git on board. She is not normally so kind ta strangers."

The girl looked at the full blown grin on the engineer's face at the mention of his baby. "Who's she?"

"Oh… She… is the ship. The _Enterprise_," Scotty explained, pointing around them. "She's a beauty. The most amazing thing I've ever gotten the pleasure of workin' on."

"He works on the _Enterprise,_" The girl whispered, the shake in her arms traveling to her entire body in timed waves. She looked up abruptly, eyes twinkling. "Scotty... Can you help me? Please I need to find him."

"Well… ya see…. Girlie," Scotty frowned, looking at the floor and flicking a piece of dirt.

"Please?" Scotty rubbed his neck and glanced up at her. He had always had a soft spot for kids. Especially girls with big pleading eyes. His sister's daughter had always gotten the better of him when he visited, his wallet always lighter when he left.

"Well…." A thud came from outside and the girl jumped. The phaser skidded from her grip and underneath a crate. She wrapped her arms more tightly around her knees and slid back into the wall. Her eyes danced from him to the bright lights of the main shuttle bay back to Scotty before she buried her head into her knees.

"I need to find him," She whispered, voice breaking.

"Ah… Hell!" Scotty rolled his neck and cracked it. He stood up and winced as the girl flinched away. "I need ti know yer name though."

"Elia…" She whispered and looked up at him, her eyes suddenly shone brilliantly. A small smile danced across her grim expression. "I'm Elia."

"Well its nice ti meet ya, Miss Elia," Scotty reached out, palm up. "Take mi hand and I'll take ya ti where ever ya need ti go."

Her hand shook as she reached out for his hand and he closed the gap and pulled her gently to her feet. Scotty was finally able to get a good look at her. Her hair was matted with mud. He could see the deep bruises covering her neck and arms. He brushed the stray hair from her eyes and frowned at the bruise spreading up her cheekbone and into her hair. "I just need to get out of here… Then… Then I can find him."

"Alright…" Scotty frowned at the slightly bemused look on her face. She was unsteady on her bare feet but her eyes were fixed ahead, a determination not suited for someone so young. She grabbed the phaser and Scotty raised an eyebrow as she checked that it was on stun. She leaned against the wall, eyes watching him. Scotty smirked. "Familiar with weaponry?"

"Can I have your… communicator?" Elia asked quietly.

"Uh… sure," Scotty slowly unclipped it from his belt. She pushed off the wall and took the small box from his outstretched hand.

"I'm sorry," Elia whispered, eyes focused on her feet.

"What?" She tripped him out into the shuttle bay, giving him a harsh shove to the back. Scotty rolled right into the hoard of Security guards and Engineers that had congregated to aid him. They fell to the ground like cussing bowling pins. "Bloody hell people! Ya need a lesson in proper swearin'!"

A few of the officers able to stand rushed into the shuttle and came out seconds later looking puzzled. "It's clear. Are you alright, Commander?"

"Aye…Call the captain," Scotty stood up dusting himself off. "Inform him we have a confirmed sighting of the stowaway. Her name is Elia."

* * *

Elia rubbed the sweat from her eyes. Her other hand was tapping away on the PADD she'd stolen off an Engineering station and was now connected to one of the consoles. "Come on."

"Guest voice signature required," The computer purred at her.

"Elia Alaqua," She spoke into the microphone.

"Welcome Miss Elia Alaqua," The computer displayed a list of options for her. "How may I assist you?"

"Location… Captain's quarters," Elia whispered. Her eyes drifted closed. She was tired. So tired. She floated in the darkness her closed eyes offered, leaned up against the cool siding of the off shoot of hallway. The computer beeped and Elia jumped looking at the console.

"Captain's quarters, located on deck 7, room 7-4D," The faintest whisper of footsteps and voices came from around the corner.

"Computer, delete entry," She tapped away on the screen. "After deletion of entry, hide account under Lila Aquea and reboot system on computers in same locations on decks 32-28."

"Understood," Elia jumped back into the ventilation just as the officers came around the corner. She grimaced as the edge of the vent cut through her shirt and dug into her shoulder. She crawled through vents and looked out when she heard the familiar swish of the elevator doors opening and closing. She waited till the people were gone before kicking out the face plate and slipped into the lift.

"Deck 7," The lift zoomed off and despite the inertial dampeners, she stumbled into the wall. The lift stopped and the doors opened. Her eyes widened as the lights of the bridge hummed over the silent hum of boredom coming from the people there. Elia looked up and her mouth fell open at the man standing in the doorway.

The security guard reached for his phaser. "Commander! The Stowaway!"

"No…" Her eyes widened before slamming shut. Her body acted on instinct and slid to the ground, arms wrapping around her head. "Computer shut door! Lock down sequence!"

The doors slid shut a blast of blue sneaking through and hitting the back wall. "Lock down sequence ID code required."

Elia brought up a tired hand and tapped a quick sequence of numbers and letters on her stolen PADD. The computer beeped in response. "Sequence accepted. Interference in system."

"Back hack it," Elia rubbed her temple as pain shot through it. Her other hand danced across the PADD encrypting data as fast as the crewmember could look at it. "Computer. Retrace steps to Deck 7. Hide our descent with distress beacon from the computers that were recently rebooted."

"Understood," Elia stood up and slid down the floor, her head spinning.

"Get up. Get up," The doors opened and she stood up wearily. She disconnected the PADD and stepped out into the hallway. "Computer return to bridge and continue lock down sequence."

"Understood," Several people turned the corner and disappeared out of her vision as she stepped heavily from the elevator. Her body had gone numb somewhere between the adrenaline from nearly being shot and the resulting crash.

"7-4D…. Just need to break into there and then I've got him," Elia held the phaser in her hand that guided her along the wall. The PADD hung at her side as she stumbled along. "7-2D…7-3D…."

She rounded the corner and fell into the wall next to the door. "7-4D…"

Elia shakily pressed the button to the quarters and the door slid open. "Lights-"

"Off," She startled at the deep voice that whispered from the dark. The PADD skittered out of her grasp and fell to the floor, the small amount of light illuminating the figure sitting directly across from her. "Doors close and lock."

"Who's… who's there?" Vertigo was starting to take affect again but she shook it off as she leveled the phaser. It shook, wavering between the shadow figure and the space around him. "I s-said… who's there!"

"You're in the Captain's Quarters. Who do you think is here?"

**2135

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**Review. Especially if it's a flame!  
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	2. Family

**Chapter 2**

**Family**

* * *

"Lights on," The blinding light drove nausea down her throat and into her stomach. Elia's knees buckled slightly. She took a step forward to steady her ailing body, the movement looking like a threat as the voice continued with a new hardness. "Elia. Put the phaser down."

"How'd…" She looked up, the phaser quaking in her grip. Captain James T Kirk sat in an armchair, a dimmed PADD sitting on the armrest. He raised an eyebrow.

"I've known you since you were a baby," He grinned cheekily. His eyes however were watching her small form shake in front of him, worry glinting behind amusement. "Put the phaser down, please. I don't want to add attempted assault of a Star Fleet captain as a part of your juvenile record."

Jim stood up and walked forward. Elia's arms dropped to her sides and she looked up at the looming shadow figure. He rested a hand on top of her head, smoothing her hair. He knelt in front of her. "What're you doing here, squirt?"

"I…," She whimpered. Tears slipped down her cheeks and she choked on her own breath. "Jim."

The phaser slipped from her grip as she clung to his mustard yellow sweater. "Jim… Help me."

"It's ok," Jim wrapped his arms around her, bringing her to his chest and resting his head against her neck. Elia pressed her forehead into his chest and coughed hoarsely. "I've got you, Elia."

* * *

Leonard McCoy leaned back in his chair. It was times like this, when they were just starting a mission that he could fully relax. There were no medical emergencies and any medical issue that needed to be handled he could delegate off to someone else. It was peaceful in the CMO's office. Perfectly peaceful.

McCoy sat up a scowl sliding onto his face. It was never 'perfectly peaceful' on the _Enterprise._ It was always sickness, death and blood wrapped in a tin can surrounded by darkness. He walked to the door and was unsurprised when it opened revealing Nurse Chapel. She smiled at him nervously. McCoy glowered. "What?"

"The Captain is here," McCoy narrowed his eyes and walked out of his office, Chapel at his heels. He rounded one of the privacy curtains. Jim looked up, eyes tired and the normal glint had darkened and shadowed.

"We just left Earth. What could have possibly have done, Jim?" McCoy's hot annoyance drained from his body and was replaced with frigid ice water when he saw Jim hunched over the girl. Jim was whispering softly to the obviously sick child. "The girl that broke into the compound and stowed away on board?"

"Bones," McCoy frowned as Jim looked at him with worried eyes. He finally was able to see the girl, her brown hair stuck to her forehead. "It's Elia."

McCoy rounded the bed quickly, his eyes watching the readings above her head. His frown deepened. He glanced at Chapel waiting dutifully for his instructions. "Get me half a dose of antipyretic."

When she was out of ear shot, McCoy whipped around and hissed at Jim. "How the hell is she here!"

"I don't know!" Jim griped. McCoy began to examine the half conscious girl, his normally abrasive hands soothing and gentle. Elia's eyes flicked open and the green looked around the area wearily.

"Jim…" She whimpered. Jim brushed his hand across her forehead."I…"

"It's ok, Elia… Bones is here. You remember him?" Jim whispered calmly.

"Bones…" Elia nodded with a small, hazed smile on her face. She'd liked him when McCoy had tagged along with Jim on his trip back to Iowa.

McCoy had moved to her stomach. Elia gasped as he barely pressed his fingers into her abdomen. "Do-don't."

McCoy narrowed his eyes and rolled up the thin cloth she called clothing. Purple, yellow and black bruises covered the majority of her stomach. Jim merely glanced at his friend. "Jim."

"Give her something to help her sleep," Jim asked.

"Jim. What're you going to do?" McCoy watched Jim's flaming eyes.

"Sedate her," Jim turned to Elia and smoothed her frizzed hair. "Elia. You're gonna go to sleep."

Elia tensed, eyeing him and McCoy wearily before she nodded, her body never slacking. "O-ok."

"I'll be here when you wake up," Jim looked up slightly when McCoy reappeared with a hypo. "Or Bones will be here."

"Pr-Promise?" Her eyes flicked open and glared into his stonily.

"I promise," He brushed the bangs from her forehead as McCoy pressed the hypo into her neck. Jim hovered over Elia until her body relaxed and snuggled into the bedding. He stood up straight, squaring his shoulders. "Bones-"

"I'll tell you when she's awake, Jim," McCoy smirked and twirled the empty hypo. "She took that better than you."

"Shut up, Bones," Jim smiled playfully. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

"What're you going to do?" McCoy asked suspiciously, inching his way towards Elia.

"Insult a superior officer," Jim muttered darkly. "I'll need a report on every scratch on her body."

"I'll have one in ten minutes. Now get out of here. You spend enough time in sickbay,"

* * *

Jim strode onto the bridge and directly to Uhura, leaning over the back of her chair. She looked up and frowned at his flaming eyes and tensed posture. "Captain?"

"Hail Starfleet. Inform them we've captured the 'intruder'," Uhura's eyes blazed. Jim smirked at her response. "Also inform them that her name, if they haven't figured it out yet, is Elia Alaqua Kirk. And that she will be taking refuge onboard the _Enterprise_ until further notice. If that pisses them off and they ask why tell them that she's seeking refuge with her cousin, Captain James T Kirk. And before they decide to rip into you for relaying this message, transfer them to the conference room."

Sulu and Chekov had turned in their seats and were smirking at their Captain's blatant albeit necessary disregard for procedure. Spock was watching Jim stolidly. Jim turned to his crew. "Spock. Come with me. Sulu. You have the con until Spock returns."

Jim stepped into the lift with Spock at his heels. Jim took a deep breath to calm himself from the excitement running through his entire body. He hit the stop button on the lift and heaved another sigh. "Captain. It is illogical to anger our superiors."

"Spock…. Did I ever tell you I had a brother?" Spock watched his Captain wearily.

"No Captain," Spock replied, eyebrows raised.

"Yeah… well… the stowaway is Sam, my brother's, daughter," Jim smirked at him. "I hope you don't mind her being around here right?"

"I do not 'mind', Captain however it is against Star Fleet regulations to have a child aboard," Jim saw the subtle rise of Spock's eyebrows in his showing of arrogance. "I assume you have not endeavored to find a loophole?"

"No… Haven't had the time," Jim replied, allowing his expression to drop. "Why?"

"As your first officer, and in your absence, I will look for a rule to allow your niece to stay aboard," Spock inclined his head.

"Thanks Spock," Jim smacked him on the shoulder, grinning. "I never knew you cared."

* * *

"James. You have no right to keep her from me!"

"I have every right to take my niece away from that house, Vice-Admiral Boyle," Winona's face flushed red. "She will do better away from there. I'm not letting her end up like me."

"If you want to play it like that," Her eyes flashed. "Captain Kirk. This is a direct order. Bring Elia Alaqua Creighton back to Earth. Immediately."

"Creighton?" Jim pretended to scroll through his PADD. "There isn't a Creighton on this ship, Vice-admiral."

"What?" Her eyes shone with worry and hope contrasting the anger on her face. Jim sent the roster to her.

"See for yourself," Tears blossomed at the edge of her green eyes as Winona stopped scrolling as the list hit K. Jim mimicked his first officer's stoic, calculating look. He sent another file barring his signature. "Official papers were drawn up less than ten minutes ago. The rookie Starfleet captain of the flagship _Enterprise_ just became legal guardian to one Elia Kirk. She'll be traveling with him until she has reached the age of 18."

"Jim…" Winona covered her mouth and quickly wiped her eyes. "I should have sent her to you years ago."

"When our CMO clears her, I'll have her call you to say goodbye," Winona shook her head, tears still pricking her eyes.

"No… Don't put her through that. Not anymore… Just take care of her, Jim. Like Sam never did. Like I never did. I don't have the right to ask…I know she'll do better away from Earth…. Just like you," She cut the connection, the tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Dim lights," His voice cracked. Jim leaned back in his chair and stared up into the shadows of the ceiling. He forced himself to blink and a solitary tear slid from his hazed blue eyes and into his blond hair. Jim brought his hands up, covering his eyes.

"Damn it…"

* * *

**1518**

**Thanks for the reviews last time :) Still waiting on those flames though... **

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